Pipe cooling and handling apparatus



Feb. 1l, 1941. 2,231,087

Pnf COOLING AND HANDLING APPfgBATUsz Sheetsfsheet. l

E. ,1. PRo'rIN Feb.`l1, 1941. ,y E. J. `PRO-HN PIPE COOLING AND HANDLING APPARATUS Filed sept, '7, 193s 2 Sheets-.Sheet 2 Patented Febfll, 1941 PATENT OFFICE PIPE COOLING AND HANDLING APPARATUS Edwards. Pretin, charleroi, Pa., assigner te rmsburgh Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation oi Pennsylvania Applieetien september 7, 1939, seriai'Ne. 29s,'z`1`1 somme'.

This invention relatesvto apparatus for treating and handling metal articles, and more particularly to apparatus for effecting nal cooling of hot cylindrical articles such as metal tubes.

In the manufacture of tubing, especially seamless tubes, it is the customary practice to permit hot formed tubes to cool completely upon cooling tables over which they. are advanced slowly. When cooled they are straightened and then threaded or otherwise acted upon as desired. It requires considerable door space for cooling tables large enough to carry the tubes until they are cool, and such tables are expensive. Fur- 1 thermore, a material amount of time is necessary for cooling tubes in the air in this manner.

It is among the objects of 4this invention to provide apparatus which rapidly cools hot metal tubes and the like and delivers them to a. straightening machine or other apparatus, which occupies relatively small space, and which is of comparatively simple construction. More specific objects are to provide a cooling tankfor the tubes, and means for lifting the tubes out of the tank step by step so that they may drain properly before being entirely removed from it.

In accordance with this invention a tank containing a cooling liquid is disposed .adjacent a cooling table which is only long enough to permit the tubes to cool down materially below their lower critical temperature, as foi-example, down to a temperature of about 600 F. The remainder Aof the cooling is done quickly in a small space by the liquid in the tank. Disposed within the tank is means for lifting cooled tubes above the liquid, together with means for temporarily supporting them in that position so that they may drain. The Vlifting means then raises the tubes out of the tank, whereupon they roll onto a driven conveyor by which they are moved longitudinally until they strike and open an 4electric switch thatcontrols the motor which drives the conveyor.. Each tube is 4thus moved to the ysame given point and is then lifted by movable Fig. 2 is a side view taken on the line -II-II of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is 4an enlarged transverse section taken on the line III-r11! of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, a long and narrow tank I is disposed below the de livery end of a relatively short cooling table 2 (ci. 26e-s) for receiving partially cooled ltubes A as they roll oi the table. The cooling table is only long enough to permit the-tubes to cool down to a predetermined temperature at which the tubes will not be adversely alfected when subjected to sudden cooling. The tank contains a suitable cooling liquid 3 that quickly completes the cooling of the tubes B immersed in it.V The tubes are supported above the bottom of the tank by horizontally spaced transverse Arails 4 inclined 4 downwardly awayfrom the tube-receiving side of `the tank so that the tubes will roll across the tankthrough the cooling liquid,

It is a feature of`this invention that cooled `tubes are removed fromthe tank step by step l so that they can drain adequately before leaving the tank. Accordingly, about half way across the tank the movement of each successive tube is arrested by a plurality of horizontally spaced upright supports 6 mounted in fixed position and each provided above the level of the liquid with a portion inclined downwardly toward the delivery side of the tank to form a step I as shown ln Fig. 3. The tops of these supports project" outwardly and downwardly across the adjacent side Lof the tank in the form of short skids 8.

For lifting the cooled tubes out of the tank a plurality of horizontally spaced vertically -reciprocable lifting members are disposed in the tank adjacent the fixed-supports. Each -of these lifting members preferably is a plate Il .the in'.

This

thereof toward the opposite sides of the tank.l y

The lifting member is also provided with a second step I3 which, in its lower position, extends outwardly from below the outer half of step A1 of the fixed support. Steps I2 and I3 are likewise inclined` downwardly toward the delivery' side of the. tank for a purpose to be described .laten Each reciprocable lifting member Il .is

guided in its vertical movements by pairs of horizontally spaced vertical guide members 28 attached to the inner surface of the delivery side' of the tank. j For raising and lowering the lifting members,v v they have upperportions I1 projecting outwardly across the top of the tank and pivotally connected to'theupper ends of upright rods I8. The lower ends of these rods are pivoted in arms I9 projecting from a line shaft 2| extending parallel to th'e tank and on which they are When the lifting members are raised by rods I8 their lower steps l2 lift tube B (Fig. 3) until it clears steps 1 'of fixed supports 6, whereupon it rolls on-the inclined lifting steps l2 outwardly toward the delivery side of the tank to the dotted line position C in which it is above steps 1. When the lifting members are loweredthe tube is deposited on steps 1, and as soon as upper steps I3 of the Biting members drop below steps 1 the tube on the latter rolls farther toward the de; livery side of the tank to position D. During the time the tube is on stationary steps 1 above liquid 3, it is draining. The next time the lifting members are raised their upper inclined steps I3 raise tube D to a point above the top of skids 8, whereupon it rolls to a position E over the latter. At the .same time the lower steps of the lifting members raise the next succeeding tube B to position C above steps 1. As the lifting members are lowered the upper tube E is deposited on the skids on which it rolls outwardly across the top of the delivery side of the tank, and the lower tube C is deposited on steps 1 as previously described. v

As a tube rolls away from the tank on skids B it rolls onto a plurality of grooved rollers 3| :lour-` naled at horizontally spacedv intervals in a line along the side of the tank where they are driven by chains 32 and sprockets 33 from a motor 34 near one end of the tank. The purpose of these rollers is to convey each successive tube longitudinally to the same predetermined point so that after it has Ibeen moved laterally from this point Y it will be in correct position for feeding into a straightening machine or otherapparatus. To stop the rotation of the grooved rollers when a tube conveyed by them reaches the desired point, a iiag switch connectedto the driving motor 34 for the rollers is mounted in the path of the longitudinally moving tube as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This switch comprises a switching mechanism 36 operated -byacounterweighted nag 31 pivotally mounted between the supports 38 for the rollerv at thevpointwhere it is desired that the front end of the tube be positioned. When la. tube strikesthis flag it opens the switching mechanism and thereby stops motor 34 and the rollers'. The rollers remain idle as long as the tube rests -on them waiting for the preceding tube to pass and their inner ends are adapted to be raised suillciently to lift the tube off the rollers and cause it to roll down vthe arms onto the skids.- The arms are raised for this purpose preferably by'supporting their innerends on the projecting pins 46 that connect upright rods I8 to the voutwardly projecting portions l1 of lifting members Il. Therefore, whenever motor 21 is started by the operator in order to lift a tube D from the draining steps 1 of supports 6 to the top. of the tank,v the lifting arms simultaneously rise and Y vremove the preceding tube` from the grooved rollers and thus make way for the next tube which will roll onto the rollers as soon as lifting menibers Il andarms 43 are lowered. As a tube is lifted on? the rollers the counterweighted flag closes the switch 33 and thereby starts motor 34 that drives the rollers, so that the next tube will be carried Ylongitudinally to the flag switch.

It will be seen that apparatus constructed in accordance with this,l invention cools hot tubes and the like rapidly and in a much smaller space than heretofore. Valuable vsavings in both time Vand space arev thereby effected. By combining the cooling tank with a comparatively small cooling table the hot articles are cooled sufdciently in the air before being immersed 'in the tank to prevent the sudden cooling by the liquid from affecting them adversely.y `This apparatus also takes care of the draining of the cooled article, and the proper positioning of them for feeding to the next machine.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to vhave it understood that, within the scope ofthe appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. Tube cooling apparatus comprising a cooling tank having a tube-receiving side and a delivery side, a plurality of horizontally spaced upright members mounted in the tank and each provided with upright portions connected by a step facing said receiving side and sloping downwardly toward the delivery side, a plurality of horizontally spaced vertically reciprocable member-s disposed inthe` tank and each provided with two steps normally disposed below said first-men-V tioned step with the lower one projecting beyond it toward said receiving side of the tank and the other one projecting toward the opposite side of the 1tank, said two steps sloping downwardly of the tank. f-, '2. Tube cooling apparatus comprising a cooling :tank having a-tube-recelving side and a delivery side,- a plurality of horizontally spaced upright members mounted in the tank and each provided with upright portions connected by a step facingv said receiving side and sloping downwardly toward the delivery side, al plurality of horizontally spaced vertically reciprocable members disposed in the tank and each provided with two steps normally disposed below said first-mentioned step with the lower one projecting beyond it toward said receiving side of the tank and the other one projecting toward the opposite side of the tank, said two steps sloping downwardly toward said delivery side of the tank, the upper portions of said reciprocable members extending lcable members. and means for raising said reciprocable members, whereby said arms are simultaneously raised for lifting a tube oi said receiving means. A

' 3'. Apparatus for treating metal articles, comprising s liquid-containing tank, means for litt--v Ain ' means extending laterally toward saidside of the arms. Y

4. Apparatus for treating metal articles, comprising a liquid-containing tank, means vfor lift-v ing a. treated article above the liquid in the tank, means for temporarily supporting the. raised article to permit it to drain, said lifting means being formed to subsequently lift said article to the top of the tank, rollers-for receiving said `article from the'- top of Athe tank, electrically operated means for driving said rollers to move said Varticle longitudinally, an electric switch controlling said electrlcallycperated means and adapted to be opened by said longitudinally' moving article to stop the movement of the latter at a predetermined point, lifting arms for lifting said article oil the rollers, and means for simultaneously raising said lifting means and arms.

.5. In a liquidfcontaining tank for treating cylindrical metal articles, vertically reciprocable means disposed in thel tank and having an article-supporting surface inclined downwardly toward the adjacent side of the tank for lifting a treated article above the liquid therein, means for retaining said article on A r face until the larticle is raised above said liquid,"

for retaining said article on the higher end of said inclined surface until the article'is raised above said liquid, whereupon the article is free to roll toward the lower end of the inclined surface, and means extending laterally toward said side of the tank from the top of the retaining means for receiving said article from the lower end of said inclined surface from which it rolls as the reciprocable means is lowered.

6. In a liquid-containing tank for treating cylindrical metal articles, `vertically reciprocable means ldisposed in the tank and having an article-supporting surface inclined downwardly toward the adjacent side of the tank for lifting a treated article above the liquid therein, means said inclined surtank from the top of the retaining means for receiving said article from saidraised inclined surface from which the article rolls onto said laterally extending means to permit it to drain, and vertically reciprocable means having an article supporting surface inclined downwardly toward said side of the tank for lifting the drained article a predetermined distance' above said receiving means.

.7 In a liquid-containing tank for treating metal articles, an upright member mounted in the tank and provided with upper and lower upl right portions connected by a step sloping downwardly from the top of the lower upright portion, a vertically reciprocable member disposed in the tank at one side of said upright member and provided with two steps normally disposed below and slopingin the same direction as said first-mentioned step', said reciprocable member being offset relative to` the upright member whereby each of said reciprocable steps extends laterally in opposite directions from the adjacent upright portion of the upright member whenthe reciprocable member is in its lower position, and means for reciprocating the reciprocable'member to raise articles step by step tothe top of the tank. 8. In a liquid-containing tank for treatin metal articles, an upright member mounted in the tank and provided with upper and lower upright portions connected by a stepsloping downwardly from the top of the -lower upright portion, a vertically reciprocable member disposed in the tank-at one side of said upright lmember and provided with two steps normally disposed below and sloping in the same direction as said first-mentioned step, said reciprocable member being offset relative to the upright member whereby each of said reciprocable steps extends laterally in opposite directions from the adjacent f upright portion of the upright member when the reciprocable member is in its lower position, and the upper end of said reciprocable member projecting laterally over the top ofthe tank, and means connected to the outer end of said laterally projecting portion for raising and lowering the reciprocable member.

, EDWARD J. PRO'IIN. 

